Now, I want this to be clear – I am NOT disillusioned. I am definitely not one of those gamers that is just exasperatedly tired of video game tropes and is desperately yearning for something totally new. There is no burning desire deep within my soul that begs developers to break with convention and dazzle me.

But Sifu’s prologue just does. It dazzles me.

Here’s my short list as to why:

1.     You play as the game’s main antagonist.

2.     Premise building for the Hero’s Journey.

3.     The opening credits work as a tutorial – and as foreshadow.

Now, playing as the game’s main antagonist isn’t that game-changing, right? It’s been done before. But, the game doesn’t tell you right away. The environmental storytelling gears you up for it and then the presence of the protagonist as a child drives it home.

The Hero’s Journey is a staple in storytelling. From Joseph Campbell to George Lucas to J.K. Rowling all the way down to game developers – the Hero’s Journey is a trope that is beloved by readers and gamers the world over. Sifu does a wonderful job of setting the protagonist up to dive right into this journey and then, when you play the rest of the game, you find yourself on the journey with him.

Tutorials in games can be tedious, but Sifu does it wonderfully. Not only does the game teach you the nuances of the combat, but it also shows you the five main bosses of the game and has you fight them! You get to learn their hitboxes, parts of their moveset and also just become comfortable with the controls. And it doesn’t do it so much that the boss fights themselves later in the game become rote. It’s just enough of a taste to make you thirst for more.

Sifu is a fantastic game. I admit, I didn’t think I would like it because I could tell that it wouldn’t have a robust enough story for my liking. However, I am so glad that I gave it a chance because it was entertaining from start to finish and even just the prologue blew me away.